The Path to Love Ch. 08

"Where is she?" Ashira asked when Jake and Mark returned to the house nearly two hours later. She was severely angry and frightened; Neither Jake nor Mark had called her to let her know what was going on. Jake sighed and pushed Ashira onto the couch.

"We think Joe has her," Jake began gently.

"What!?" Ashira exclaimed.

"According to Rico, there was still one customer when he left and he couldn't stay because his wife works midnights at the hospital. We found the bill and there was a message on it," Mark said.

"What did the message say?" Melinda wanted to know.

"Like it or not, she's my daughter now," Mark answered.

He watched Ashira's face go from milk white to ashen to red, her eyes flashing.

"The police are on it," Jake said, unsure of what else to say.

"Why wouldn't she call and let us know she would be alone?" Melinda asked, giving her friend a worried look.

"According to Rico, they were non stop busy from five to eleven when Serenity was to close," Mark answered.

"We have to find her," Ashira said, her voice sounded funny, even to her own ears.

"We will," Jake soothed.

"Don't let him hurt her," Ashira pleaded. Jake and Mark looked at each other, both unsure of what to do.

-2 weeks later-

Serenity looked around the dark room, tears staining her face. "Somebody help me!" she screamed. "Please!"

"Will you shut up in there? I'm getting tired of listening to you scream!" Joe shouted from the other room.

"Just let me go home! I'll tell them you didn't hurt me! I won't tell them where you are. Please, I just want to go back to my brothers and sisters," Serenity sobbed.

"Shut up!" Joe snapped again, turning back to his newspaper. He grinned when he saw the missing person's notice on the front page. He knew Mark and Ashira had both done well for themselves, but he never expected this. They were offering a hundred thousand dollar reward for the capture of Joe and the rescue of their daughter.

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"Any word?" Gavin asked, walking into the house.

"No, nothing," Ashira answered, her eyes red and tired.

"Maybe you should try to get some rest," Mark suggested. Ashira shook her head.

"I'm fine Mark, thank you," Ashira said softly. Mark shook his head, but he knew that Ashira was going to be stubborn and knew better than to fight with her over it.

Jake had returned with the kids to San Diego so that they could go to back to school. They didn't have to worry about their paychecks thanks to Lindsey selling them the tanning salon two years prior. Jake and Ashira had expanded the salon and opened a sister salon in La Jolla and they had done well enough to buy a mini mansion.

"Mrs. Barnes, please don't be offended when I say this, but you look like shit and you won't do Serenity any good if you don't get some rest," Gavin said, his voice gentle but firm. Mark surpressed a grin as Ashira sighed.

"He's right Shira. Mark and I are here. If the police find anything, we'll let you know," Melinda said from the doorway.

Her sudden appearance in the room made Ashira jump and she dropped the coffee mug she was holding. Ashira started to apologize but stopped when she saw the gentle smile on Mark's face.

"I'll help you upstairs," Mark said, gently taking Ashira's hand and pulling her towards the stairs.

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Serenity's eyes snapped open as she heard a door open and close. She held her breath as she heard an engine turn over and nearly wept with joy when the car drove away. Serenity knew that it meant Joe had left the house to pick up supplies and that she would be free to wander the small house.

Serenity used the small bathroom before she began a futile attempt at opening the front door. The house was boarded up so she couldn't break out a window, but it didn't stop her from trying.

By the time Joe returned, Serenity's hands were raw, her fists full of slivers from banging on the walls and windows.

"You shouldn't have done that," Joe said, shaking his head. He removed the slivers and bandaged Serenity's hands.

"I want to go HOME!" Serenity yelled.

Joe growled; he had had enough. "Shut up you little bitch!" he shouted, back handing Serenity across the face. Serenity fell to the ground, crying as she gingerly touched the already forming bruise on her jaw line. Serenity glared at him and almost didn't catch the fast food sandwich he tossed her way. Joe set a bottle of water down on the floor. "Eat and drink then go back to your room," Joe said, his voice low, his anger back under control.

When Serenity returned to her cramped room, she dug out the pencil she had squirled away and made a mark on the floor under the worn rug. By her count, she had been there for one hundred and eighty three days. "Six months!" she gasped.

Serenity looked up as she heard a strange noise outside and Joe burst into her room.

"Come with me," he growled. Serenity followed him reluctantly as he pulled her towards the back of the house. "If you scream, I'll kill you," Joe said, pointing a gun in the small of Serenity's back. Serenity strugged against his grip, trying to make as much noise as possible. Serenity recognized the area they were in, now that she wasn't blind folded; it was a popular camping spot and judging by the amount of time she had been missing, Serenity knew it was time for the back to school camp out.

She could hear her class mates having a good time. As they passed covertly behind the senior class, Serenity noticed Tiffany turn around and notice Serenity. Serenity held a finger up to her lips then mouthed, "Call 911." Tiffany nodded, and pulled her cell phone out of her pocket.

Someone screamed as a gunshot rang out.

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"Shira!" Mark shouted from the living room. Ashira thundered down the stairs. "They found her," Mark said. "She's on her way to the hospital now," he added. Melinda smiled from the rocking chair where she was feeding Wyatt as she watched her husband and friend race to the car.

Ashira sat anxiously in a chair while she waited for the doctor to come and talk about Serenity's condition and Mark called Jake to let him know that Serenity had been found. Mark returned to the waiting room in time to see the doctor turn away from Ashira.

"How is she?" Mark asked. Serenity looked up with a small smile.

"She's dehydrated and malnourished, but she'll be okay," Ashira said. She filled him in on what the doctor had told her.

"So he didn't rape her." Mark gave a sigh of relief.

"I know, I was worried. They want to keep here for a few days, but we can take her home Friday," Ashira added. Mark grinned. Things were finally looking up.